Next-gen projects are testing dev resources, Sony exec admits

But PlayStation's Fergal Gara says group is 'nowhere close to giving up on PS3'

The managing director of PlayStation UK has admitted that work underway on next generation games is challenging the group's studio resources as it tries to create content for Vita and PS3 as well.
"When you look at the UK market, it's easy to say that current consoles are fading. But if you look at PS3, it's holding up a lot better than others, so it warrants support. But if you look at continental Europe, PS3 hasn't even peaked yet. Why would you run away from a console business when you're not even top of the hill? We're certainly not going to run away from it."

Yeah Sony really needs to focus on the ps4 and ps vita, that way developers don't suffer and the systems can compete even better than when the ps3 first came out. Plus a strong line up of AAA games would be most welcomed. :)

Developers have already suffered unfortunately. I find it disappointing that Sony is stating that next-gen projects are testing their resources, but then we found out a little while ago that they shut down Studio Liverpool who were busy working on a Wipeout game for the PS4 launch. It had apparently been in development for over 12 months already.

Obviously I can only speak for myself here, but as somebody who really loves Wipeout HD it's really frustrating to see them say that. I'd have been over the moon if the PS4 rolled out with a Wipeout game at launch, and now that probably won't happen.

I think its awesome that Sony are still working on the PS3. Its been around for a long time and the fact that it still has a good handful of games that can truly make me excited without the constant chorus of "Bring on next gen" is impressive. The best thing about Sony is exactly that, they provide the games. Sure it sometimes takes them a while but look at the PS3 now compared to what it was back in 2006. It's a shame a certain other gaming company seems to be more or less giving up on games and focusing on the casual market that Nintendo already claimed a long time ago. Instead of going out on a high note.

Anyway, even with the awesome line-up of PS3 games still to come these are exciting times to be a gamer. With the Wii U releasing soon (and a promise on third-party support and hardcore games) and the eventual revealing of the PS4 and Next Xbox these next few years should be very interesting indeed.

I still feel bad about the lose of Zipper Interactive. IMO, that company was the best when it came to making exclusive shooters on PS3, that also was an in-house first party studio of Sony's as well. A PS4 MAG 2 would of been amazing just thinking of the potential... I remember listen to the Zipcast (Zipper Interactive podcast) where they talked so much about the many ideas they had for MAG 2 and what not... god it's such a shame to see that talent gone. A dev company I grew up loving since I was a young teen.

The problem is not enough people really like/ are bothered about Wipeout. It is a shame but I tihnk Sony made a good decision to stop work on it. It may be a waste of money with 12 months down the line (probably should have been cancelled earlier) but they took that money to not spend any more money on it (got to remember advertising cost quite a lot to a games development)

With every studio getting shut down it is all about how much potential profit they can make. It is the same with Zipper. Zipper created a ok game but it wasn't Socom nor was it really good compared to other games of that type.

i do. isn't your hate overdone just a little? or are you just trying to convince yourself that whichever console you've chosen,it wasn't a mistake? whatever people choose,be it pc,ps3,x360,wii or old cellphone with Snake game only- it is their choice.but writing things like "sony is doomed" in capslock and without interpunction is not selling your point of view very well.

If you've ever played GOW or GT you'd understand the Appel. Sony is always bring out new IPs like the Last of Us for example IMO they aren't boring at all. Look at N they've used the same characters since I can remember and Microsoft relies on Halo, Gears and Fable. If you consider Sony boring what do you think about the other companies?

I'm not sure why you would bring Wii U anywhere in this?? Just because people disagreed with him?? It could be people who are Wii U fans or it could be people who are 360 fans or hell it could be people who just straight up disagree. Stop trolling.

It wont be because even sony know that when a DX11 capable console in the wiiu has an install base of 25 million by the time ps4 hits if they were to put too much power in the ps4 it would only turn developers away as the wiiu has proper next gen hardware Shader model 5.0 compared to 3.0 on ps3/DX11/opengl4.1 compared to dx9 on ps3 obviously were talking comparable as DX in microsofts did you know the 360 was meant to be called the Directxbox,anyway in terms of graphics the wiiu is the best you will see 1080p with a gpgpu that can basically handle the newest tech out there makes making your console more powerful not worth it as graphics will be all the same ?????? Wishful thinking is what your doing,Look no 1 wants to develop on vita as its only got 2 million worldwide sales and if sony make a DX12 comparable console it will cost alot and the difference in dx11/dx12 is minimal at best and if ps4 was to sell the same as vita its curtains for Sony.

Oh 1 of the most talented poeple at Naughty dog is at Retro studios now i think retro studios will be the best 2nd party studio next gen :)

That's f'en pathetic if you are right. The consoles are already ancient. If they don't come out by 2013 at the latest then that would be ridiculous. We needed new consoles this year (2012), so 2013 is already pushing it.

E3 naturally is the 'big' show but the new Xbox in particular will likely be announced and/or shown earlier in the year, IMO. February (CES as Microsoft has been making Xbox more and more of a multimedia device as well a good time to show off integration with Surface and Windows 8) or March (GDC as first big Game convention of the year) seems likely to me as it could begin the "hype train" that Microsoft likes to go for preE3 with possible '13 release date (rumor but seems likely as they have no real exclusives announced after Gears's Judgement that I can think of.

PS4 (at least ps3) seems more game centric still so GDC or E3 (which would steal some of next xbox's thunder 'if' announced earlier) seems a better fit. TGS is huge but the fact is it isn't as necessary as a bigger US reveal since Sony already has much more Asian support compared to Xbox, which is its most direct competition.

I expect they'll both at the very least finally be announced by or at E3 and one will be shown (Xbox seems most likely to be released next year if not both--PS3 still has game lineup to compete at least). Xbox simply has just about nothing announced past Spring though, with exception of multiplatform, so seems that could be why they are keeping quite for next year.

Those are only the Sony titles but the only one I see coming out early 2013 is GOW because it has a release date already. Beyond will be spring/summer (like infamous 1 & 2 was) and last of us in the fall for Xmas hype.

I would love to see a ps4 next year but it won't happen. Look at all the AAA games coming out in 2013 already. You have a ton of games with release dates for early 2013 and then a bunch of games without dates yet like GTA, last of us, beyond, ff versus, last guardian and so on. Can't see them dropping a new console with all those games coming out plus a ps3 price drop.

Xbox 360 was announced in May 2005 on MTV and then released in November 2005. They can certainly release the same year as the announcement. It helps reduce the amount of lossed sales of the current generation. Apple does the same thing.

Agreed, Sony's PS4 launch lineup is definitely going to be amazing. Considering the amount of quality new IP's they are creating even to this day. Can't wait to see what new IP's their 1st party devs are cooking up for next gen. :D

"Hopefully MS can do the same so I am inclined to buy more than one console next gen :D"

Considering Microsoft's focus on Kinect these days and the fact that the majority of their studios work on Kinect titles. I'm not so sure yet if I can be excited about their launch line up just yet. :/

I myself am no fan of motion gaming but at least their launch line up will most likely be great for Kinect fans though!

Also I was on gaikai and they seem they want too make playstation more that a box but more as a global ecosystem.

"Why did Sony Computer Entertainment purchase Gaikai? Gaikai has developed the highest quality, fastest interactive cloud-streaming platform in the world—a platform capable of delivering games and other interactive content instantly to consumers via the Internet. By harnessing the power of the cloud, and the strength of our engineering talent, Gaikai will help SCE grow their ecosystem, empower developers with new capabilities, dramatically improve the reach of various content and bring breathtaking new entertainment experiences to end-users around the world." http://www.gaikai.com/qa

Here's where alot of you aren't thinking straight about PS4's launch. It will probably take developers a good 2yrs to have launch line up games and Sony's most important studios are still heavily working on AAA PS3 titles. So how does anyone on here realistically think that the PS4 will launch in 2013 with a great line up of games?

"Sony's most important studios are still heavily working on AAA PS3 titles."

You got Naughty Dog team # 2 (Not the team working on The Last Of Us), Guerilla Games, Sony Santa Monica team # 2 (Not the team working on God of War Ascension), Polyphony Digital, Sony Bend Studios, and Evolution Studios rumored to be working on next gen. And you also still have LightBoxInteractive and Eat Sleep Play who still have a contract for making exclusive games on PS platforms.

And yet Sony offers much more games than MS and most important of all they offer variety. They may not cater to you but one could easily say the same about 360 exclusives. No one will say however that MS offers variety. Besides dont act as if MS didnt close any studios this gen and if you ask me, some of their studios would be better off by being closed down (looking at you Rare). Bottom line is Sony offers full fledged games and MS offers timed exclusive DLC. Even if i considered PS3 exclusives to be average i would take them over timed exclusive DLC any day of the week.

BTW I consider 99.5% of games released for kinect straight up garbage. Average > garbage.

It doesn't matter if you think Kinect is garbage, kinect games are still exclusives. I disagree with you that Sony offers more games. Just because you don't like kinect or its games doesn't mean they don't count as exclusives. You just told green powers that even if those ps games don't matter to him they are still relevant and then you go on and choose to discredit kinect and its games? That is extreme hypocrisy right there. Then you say average is garbage but come down on greenpowerz because he says to him Sony exclusives are average games that don't sell.

You share the same irrational point of view but you attack greenpowerz because you dont like that he singled out the ps3 and Sony.

MS game studios may not be releasing as much variety "core" game wise, but the 360 still has just as much variety as the ps3. Who cares who makes the game or who owns what studio, bottom line is that it's still made by someone and is still a game on the system.

Huh? You say that MS doesnt offer much variety but end up by saying that it does?!? Wich one is it? Cant have both!

I didnt say that kinect doesnt add to the 360 variety. Even with kinect PS3 still offers more variety. I was saying that i rather have full fledged average games than garbage kinect games and timed exclusive dlc. Green was trolling and i trolled back :)

I could go on but bottom line is that Kinect helps to create different types of games with new ways to experience them without the need of a controller. Kinect opens the doors for variety, however right now we are mainly only seeing that variety on a casual perspective at the moment.

You say there is more Variety on the PS3 yet both consoles have RTS game, FPS games, TPS games, Action Adventure games, Thriller/Horror games etc.

I don't see how you can say there is more "variety" when both systems consist of pretty much the same type of games?

Or maybe you were referring to more IP's available within a certain genre like FPS or RTS?

I would also argue that there are MORE games available on the 360 in ANY particular single genre.

If YOU say that there is no variety in hardcore games then it means that the 360 is lacking variety in that department. Like i said you cant have both ways and you proved my point. Thank you very much.

3 kinect games with one of them looking like a poor man Ratchet on rails? Really? Where is Microsoft Yakuza, Motorstorm, Starhawk, Twisted Metal, MLB, Heavy Rain, Sly, GoW, Siren games, TLG... No wonder you say MS lacks variety on the hardcore department. Its true.

Even though we're talking about MS and Sony studios, you start talking about multiplatforms as way to say that you can find the sames experiences Sony offers, on the 360. We're talking about exclusives here and what Sony and Microsoft are offering to their fanbase. Sony does offer more variety than MS. There is no denying that and that was my point all along.

Then i dont know why, you proceed to the number of games there are in each genre. We're talking about diversity of genres and experiences. Not sure how the 360 having more 5 or 20 FPS than the PS3 will help your case here.

BTW on that steel batallion vid the guy was playing with a controller... "COMPLETE controllerless experiences". Just wanted to point that out.

"Why would you run away from a console business when you're not even top of the hill?"

lol, not sure what to say about this statement. On one hand you give sony credit for not giving up as I think the goal to atleast surpassed the 360 in total sales or PS3 reach the 100 million sales mark.

But on the other hand, you want to give your rivals a big lead start again.

Sucker Punch are confirmed to be working on a new PS3 game. It was discovered after the release or Infamous 2 that it was going to be a brand new AAA title. It's not known if it's going to be Infamous 3 or an entirely new IP.

Disagreed based on speculation--although some it might be true or at least close. It's probably viable anyways depending on release date. Still, I'll agree that when I do pick up a PS4 it should be a blast (for exclusives anyways as I have a PC better already).